01

~Miranda

Echoes. Screams. Cries. Death.

I gasped awake. I was inside a cell. It was dark and the only form of light was the moon rays shimmering in through the little window at the top.

I felt pain as I tried to sit up. My memory was foggy as I tried to understand why I was in a cell. I did not remember willingly walking into it.

Did Father lock me up here? Did I do something wrong to anger him again? Had I broken the rules?

I slowly crawled to my feet and went to the caged door. I pushed it but it did not budge. I moved it harder but it would not come open for me.

"Dad? Mom?" I cried. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked but there was no answer.

The place looked like a cave that I had been locked into. I did not remember this place in our house.

I was not at home. Where was I?

Suddenly, the harsh memories of my parents' death hit my brain. It flushed into my mind and I could vividly see it like it was happening again.

A sharp piercing pain sliced through my head and I went down on my knees screaming. The memory of my parents' death was so painful that my mind could not bear it.

The pain eventually stopped and I felt drained. "Mommy? Daddy? Did you really die?" I cried as realization struck me.

A fresh batch of tears started streaming down my cheeks. My body started vibrating with the horror of what had happened. The trauma was too much to bear.

"Mommy, Daddy! Please come get me! Don't punish me like this," I cried but no one came.

I kept finding it hard to believe that my parents were truly gone. I had never once imagined that a day without my parents would come. It had to be a dream.

How was I supposed to leave without them? Did this mean that I would never feel their hug again? That I would never hear their voices again? That I would never hear their laughter again?

Tears streamed down my face and there was no one to console me as I cried.

Suddenly, I felt pain in the pit of my stomach. My legs went weak and I did not think I could stand. I felt a hunger from deep within me. It was gnawing at my insides. It was crumbling my internal organs. The pain increased and I did not think that I could hold up much longer.

"Blood. . . I need blood. . ." I cried as the pain kept increasing but there was no one to come to my aid.

I started rolling on the cold floor in pain. My insides churned. My heart was in pain. My energy was drained. I was sweating all over. I needed blood. It was the only way to survive it. My vision was getting blurry and the bloodlust was becoming hard to fight.

The evil man who had killed my parents appeared before my cell. He squatted and watched me with a smile. I could hardly see him clearly. All I thought about was the blood running through his veins. I wanted it. It felt warm and inviting. It was calling out to me.

"I want to see just how long you can survive without blood," the man said and chuckled.

Then he got to his feet and started walking away from my cell. I crawled to the caged door and tried grabbing out hoping to catch something, anything that I could drink dry.

But there was nothing. No one came and the pain from the lack of blood kept increasing. I rolled to my back in defeat. I felt darkness crawling over my vision. I was probably going to die soon. Maybe I could be with my parents in death. Maybe they would come to get me. I hoped and wished as the pain kept inside.

I could no longer move. I just left my mouth open at the door as I waited for death to come and take me. I was too weak. Too drained and exhausted. I was dead tired and maybe death was the only way out of my misery.

After what felt like long agonizing hours of waiting for death to take me away, blood started dripping into my open mouth. My eyes flew open at the blood and I started to drink it to my fil.

In all my life, blood had never felt this sweet. It quenched my thirst and my hunger for blood. Slowly, my energy starts coming back to me. My vision came back and I saw a woman looking down at me.

"Who are you?" I asked as I found that all my energy was back.

This woman had cut herself and allowed her blood to flow into my mouth.

"Naomi Cobalt let's just say I'm a friend," she whispered.

I looked at her strangely. "But you're not a vampire. Why are you helping me?" I demanded.

The woman looked fascinated by me. "You are a very peculiar and smart child," she whispered.

I felt wary of her. If there was one thing my parents instilled in me properly, then it was never to trust strangers.

"Feel free to take my blood whenever you need to. I do not think those men will ever give you blood willingly. Let's just say I'm an admirer. Keep it a secret," she whispered and got up to leave.

"You're leaving already?" I asked.

She nodded her head. " I must not be seen talking to you. Besides, something tells me you'll review another visit soon," she whispered before giggling and walking out of the dungeon where they were keeping me.

I tried to understand what she meant. She had appeared when I needed help the most and saved me.

Why would I get another visitor? Why was she helping me? What did she stand to gain from this?

Last of all, was it safe to trust her?